Lecture | Patentability of AI-related inventions under the Rules of the EPC

In the context of the bachelor course IP in the Digital Single Market and the Intellectual Property and Knowledge Management (IPKM) master programme, we proudly present the expert lecture by Dr. Patrick Heckeler from Bardehle Pagenberg patent attorneys on 20 October 2022, at 18:30 CET in the Statenzaal, Faculty of Law. Patrick will talk about whether and how an AI technology can be protected by patents under the European Patent Convention. We will also discuss what implication patent protection has for AI technologies and the market. Feel warmly invited to join the discussion in the Statenzaal! News & events Patentability of AI-related inventions under the Rules of the EPC 20 Oct 18:30 - 20:00 Patentability of AI-related inventions under the Rules of the EPC In the context of the bachelor course IP in the Digital Single Market and the Intellectual Property and Knowledge Management (IPKM) master programme, we proudly present the expert lecture by Dr. Patrick Heckeler from Bardehle Pagenberg patent attorneys on 20 October 2022, at 18:30 CET in the Statenzaal, Faculty of Law. Patrick will talk about whether and how an AI technology can be protected by patents under the European Patent Convention. We will also discuss what implication patent protection has for AI technologies and the market. Feel warmly invited to join the discussion in the Statenzaal! Abstract: AI-related inventions are a specific sub-type of computer-implemented inventions. A typical example is a system that has the ability to adapt according to experience gained by the system itself. According to the EPO’s case law, the same principles apply to the examination of patentability of such inventions as to the examination of conventional computer-implemented inventions. However, due to the complexity of AI systems and the fact that AI systems often function as a "black box", the application of these principles can be difficult in practice. Therefore, this lecture provides an overview of the most recent case law of the EPO’s Boards of Appeal with respect to AI-related inventions and discusses how the findings of these decisions affect the prosecution of AI-related patent applications in practice. Speaker: Patrick Heckeler is a German and European patent attorney and a partner of the renowned law firm BARDEHLE PAGENBERG with offices in Munich, Düsseldorf, Barcelona and Paris. With his studies of computer science, Patrick has reliable expertise in the patentability of inventions in the field of computer technology. His main areas of practice include patent prosecution, opposition and appeal proceedings as well as infringement and nullity complaints.